Professor and Chair
Social Determinants of Health
What You'll Learn
- Examine social, economic, and political factors that contribute to health inequalities.
- Explore innovative ways to reduce disparities in health when the goal is to achieve health equity.
- Practice skills involving cultural humility, deliberative dialogues and professional self-assessments.
4 Modules
16 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Social Determinants of Health
This is an introductory course on social determinants of population health with a focus on the United States. The course will introduce you to, or reinforce your knowledge of, issues related to health that consider behavioral, psychological and structural factors in population health beyond the healthcare system. We will examine social, economic, and political factors that contribute to health inequalities and suggest innovative ways to reduce disparities in health when the goal is to achieve health equity.
This course will increase your awareness, knowledge, and understanding of issues related to behavioral, psychological, and structural factors that contribute to understanding population health and health inequities. We will discuss conceptual and methodological issues key to health professionals working towards achieving health equity to reduce health disparities at multiple levels of influence. There will be opportunities to practice skills involving cultural humility, deliberative dialogues and professional self-assessments.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequalities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels
Skills You'll Gain
- Community Health Improvement
- Health Equity
- Population Health
- Public Health
- Social Determinants Of Health
- Social Justice
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Social Determinants of Health, an introductory course examining how social, economic, behavioral, psychological, and structural factors shape population health in the United States. You will explore the root causes of health inequities and analyze how systems beyond healthcare influence outcomes. This course, the first in The Influence of Social Determinants on Health Specialization, emphasizes health equity and provides opportunities to practice skills with cultural humility.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Course Overview, Definitions, and Levels of Influence
- Video: Course Introduction
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: The Final Project
- Reading: Pre-Course Survey
- Video: Introduction: Social Determinants of Health
- Video: Defining Health Disparities
- Reading: [Optional] Hebert et al. "When does a difference become a disparity?"
- Reading: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: What is health equity?
- Video: Reasons for Inequalities
- Video: Historical Context and Social Justice
- Reading: Kawachi et al.: Health disparities by race and class: why both matter
- Reading: Hill et al.: Exploring transgender legal name change as a potential structural intervention for mitigating social determinants of health among transgender women of color.
- Discussion Prompt: Health Disparities verse Health Equity
- Peer Review: Health Structural Intervention Paper, Part 1 (OPTIONAL)
- Graded: Quiz 1
Module 2: Disparities in Mortality and Morbidity by Psychosocial and Demographic Factors, Theoretical Considerations, and Environmental and Cultural Contexts
- Reading: Williams: Miles to go before we sleep: Racial inequalities in health
- Video: Social Determinants of Health
- Video: Theoretical Considerations in Achieving Health Equity
- Video: Environmental and Cultural Contexts
- Reading: Jones: Levels of racism: A theoretic framework and a gardener's tale
- Reading: Ford and Airhihenbuwa: Just what is critical race theory and what's it doing in a progressive field like public health
- Discussion Prompt: Davis and Chapa Case Study
- Peer Review: Health Structural Intervention Paper, Part 2 (OPTIONAL)
- Graded: Quiz 2
Module 3: Social Determinants of Health: The Healthcare System, Immigration Status, Sexual Identity, and Unconscious Bias
- Video: Social Determinants of Health and the Health Care System
- Video: The Health Care System: Immigration Status and Sexual Identity
- Video: Unconscious Bias
- Reading: Magnan: Social determinants of health 101 for health care: Five plus five
- Reading: [Optional] Sequist: Urgent action needed on health inequalities among American Indians and Alaska Natives
- Reading: Raymond-Flesch et al: There is no help out there and if there is, it’s really hard to find: A qualitative study of health concerns and health care access of Latino “DREAMers”
- Reading: Sudhinaraset et al.: The influence of deferred action for childhood arrivals on undocumented Asian and Pacific Islander young adults: Through a social determinants of health lens.
- Discussion Prompt: Identify Structural Interventions
- Peer Review: Health Structural Intervention Paper, Part 3 (OPTIONAL)
- Graded: Quiz 3
Module 4: Racism, Discrimination; Culture, Gender and Power; Changing Structures that Reproduce Bias and Harm Health
- Video: Social Determinants of Health: Ethnic Identity and Discrimination
- Reading: [Optional] Bailey et al.: Structural racism and health inequalities in the USA: Evidence and interventions
- Video: Social Determinants of Health: Culture, Gender, and Power
- Reading: Airhihenbuwa and Liburd: Eliminating heath disparities in the African American population: The interface of culture, gender, and power.
- Video: Changing Structures that Reproduce Bias
- Video: Progress Towards Health Equity Interventions
- Reading: Woolf: Progress in achieving health equity requires attention to root causes.
- Video: Barriers to Health Equity Interventions
- Reading: Arcaya & Figueroa: Emerging trends could exacerbate health inequalities in the United States
- Video: Innovative Interventions to Achieve Health Equity: Promising Approaches
- Discussion Prompt: Health Equity Elevator Speech
- Reading: Post Course Survey
- Graded: Quiz 4
- Graded: Quiz 5
- Graded: Health Structural Intervention Paper (Final Paper)
Grading Policy
Learners are assessed through quizzes and a final peer-reviewed paper. To pass the course, learners must earn 80% or higher on each assignment. The five quizzes are worth 16% each and the final peer review paper is worth 20%.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
